Method of and apparatus for supplying ink to printing presses



Feb. 9, 1937. I J. E. HUDSON 2,070,205

METHOD OF AND APEARATUS FOR SUPPLYING INK TO PRINTING PRESSES Filed Nov. 13, 1954 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Ema/rm Feb. 9, 1937. J. E. HUDSON METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR SUPPLYING INK TO PRINTING PRESSES 2 Sheets-She 2 Filed Nov. 13, 1954 WWW Patented Feb. 9, 1937 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE INK PBESSES T PRINTING Joseph Edward Hudson, Baker, Oreg.

Application November 13, 1934, Serial No. 752,890

16 Claims.

The present invention relates to the method of and apparatus for supplying or dispensing liquid material, such as ink, to various kinds of machinery, such as platen printing presses and aims workman to manually apply the liquid ink to,

the press. The ink is usually packaged in cans and is applied by the workman from time to time as additional inking is required. Experience has shown that once a can of ink is opened and subjected to air, drying and crystallization take place to the extent that there is a substantial loss of ink, even overnight. In certin cases loss of ink by crystallization maybe as high as 25 per cent, and as some high grade j ob inks cost up to five dollars per pound, there is a considerable financial loss in dried ink. Also there is a considerable loss of the workmans time, cleaning knives, washing hands, etc.

The invention aims to improve methods of supplying ink and, the like to printing presses and the like, in providing a package of ink and dispensing mechanism operative to preserve the ink from contact with air from the time it is packaged until spread upon the printing press, thus eliminating loss of ink by drying or crystallization.

Also the method saves much time in that there are no cans to open, knives to clean, and the workman may readily ink the press without soiling his hands.

Other objects of the invention reside in an improved form of packaged ink or like material as well as to improved features and combinations permitting a ready dispensing of the liquid.

In order to better illustrate the invention, reference is had to the accompanying drawings illustrating a practical embodiment thereof.

In the drawings- Fig. 1 is a side elevation of the dispensing gun;

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section thereof;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged fragmental longitudinal sectional view of one end of the gun shown in Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is an elevation, partly in section, of a preferred form of a portion of a modified package or cartridge;

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of one form of ink spreader, the parts being disassembled;

Fig. 6 is a similar view of another form of ink spreader; 0

Fig. 7 is a transverse sectional view thereof; and

Fig. 8 is a detail of a modified form of cartridge. According to the invention, the liquid ink is packaged in a cartridge or container 10, pre-v ferably of metal, having a closed end I I apertured as at H, and sealed by a frangible or removable seal 2| (Fig. 4). The other end of the cartridge is preferably closed by a piston of the diameter of the cartridge i0, adapted to slidably engage the inner 'walls of the cartridge. Advantageousiy, the piston may comprise a flexible body l3 of 10 suitable resilient material such as rubber, flanged along its periphery, as at H. The piston, by reason of its flanged portion H, has a. surface of contact with the inner wall of the can throughout a substantial area andthus forms a tight seal 15 against the intrusion of air as well as the escape of liquid from the can. The body of the piston I3 is preferably reinforced by suitable stiffening and reinforcing means, such as a relatively stiff disc l5, which may advantageously be of sheet a metaland may be securely attached to the piston by being fitted in an annular groove IS in the flange periphery M. In this manner the necessary rigidity isimparted to the piston l3 so that it may be displaced longitudinally throughout a 2 can of substantial diameter, by pressure applied to the outer face, so as to dispense liquid through the opening ll. Preferably the rear end of the can (in which the piston is fitted) is fitted with a removable cover I! to prevent accidental pressure upon or damage to the piston during shipment or handling of the cartridge.

The discharge opening ll of the cartridge l0 may be formed in a partly spherical apertured seat 18 over which a removable sealing or closure 35 member l9 may be secured, as for example, an adhesive tape as shown in Fig. 8. Or if desired, the aperture I I may be formed in a conical seat 20 and closed by a frangibleor puncturable disc l2, as for example, a lead disc. In either instance 40 the adhesive tape or disc will serve to prevent leakage of the liquid ink during shipment and cartridge is inserted in a dispensing gun 25,

which may comprise a tubular body 26, aremovable cap 21, and a valved nozzle 28. The

body 26 may advantageously be formed as a .hollow receptacle adapted to receive a cartridge 55' It), the seat I8, 29 of which is designed to fit in a. corresponding seat 29 in the inner end of the nozzle 28. The cap 21 may be suitably attached to the body 26, as by screw threads, in order that the cap may readily be removed from the body 26 to permit the insertion and removal of a cartridge.

When the cartridge is in place within the gun, the liquid or ink is placed under pressure by means of a plunger 39, which is preferably disc shaped and formed with a bevelled periphery 3| adapted to cooperate with the bevel 32 of the flange portion 14 of the piston l0. Thus pressure exerted by the piston will be applied uniformly to the body of the piston II] as well as the flanged portion l6 so as to move the whole piston assembly longitudinally of the cartridge under uniform pressure.

Suitable means are provided for exerting, a pressure upon the plunger 39 and for regulating such pressure, comprising, in the illustrated embodiment, a compression spring 33 surrounding a rearwardly extending stem or shank 32 of the plunger 30, the rearward end of said stem 32 extending within and slidably mounted in a hol- .low pressure regulating member 34 which may be threaded as at 35 to the cap 21, the outer end of said member 35 being provided with a hand wheel 36. The stem 32 of the plunger is suitably slidably connected to the regulating member 34 by means of a nut 31 threaded as at 38 to the end of the plunger stem 32 which nut is of greater diameter than the aperture 39 of a limiting nut 40 threaded upon the inner end of the regulating member 34. This regulating member 34 may be hollow throughout its length-to permit of the insertion of the nut 31 through the outer end thereof, and the nut may be formed with a slotted outer end to receive the end of a screw driver or like tool, whereby the nut may be secured to the stem 32. As will be apparent, as the regulating member 34 is fed into the body 26 of the gun, movement of the plunger will be retarded by the liquid ahead of the piston It with the result that the spring 33 will be compressed. As long as the spring is under compression, the liquid within the cartridge will be under pressure tending to expel it through the apertured opening II.

The nozzle 28 of the gun may advantageously be formed with a passage 4! leading to and below a valve seat 42, the passage 4| being normally closed by means of a downwardly movable valve 43 having a head cooperating with the valve seat 42 the stern of the valve extending upwardly through the nozzle casing and surrounded by a spring 44 tending normally to close the valve 43. The valve may be opened at the control of the operator by means of a lever 45 pivoted as at 46 to the nozzle and connected as at 41 to the valve stem. A discharge passage 48 in the forward end of the nozzle leads to the valve chamber above the seat, so that normally the pressure'of the fluid in the cartridge tends to close the valve against its seat. Upon depressing the lever 45 the valve 43 is unseated, permitting the flow of liquid under pressure from the passage 4| to the passage 48.

In inking platen printing presses or the like it is desirable to supply the ink in relatively small amounts so that it may be readily spread upon the inking disc, and preferably the supply should be in the form of a film.

Accordingly an ink spreader may be attached to the nozzle 28 in communication with the passage 48, which spreader comprises a support ing member 59 provided with an aperture 5i and a nipple 52 by means of which the plate may be connected to the nozzle 28. The supporting plate 59 is encased by a spreader plate 53 having a reservoir portion 54 formed with recesses or grooves 55 leading to a forwardly positioned discharge opening 56 for discharging the ink in a thin film from the lo wer face 'ofthe spreader plate 53. Forwardly of the discharge opening 55 the spreader plate is formed as a thin flexible spatula blade 51 for spreading the ink upon the inking disc. The spreading plate may be connected to the supporting member in any suitable manner, as for example, by means of screws 69 or the plate 53 may be dovetailed upon the supporting plate, as at 59, Fig. '7.

It will be understood that the grooves or recesses 55 in the spreader plate are relatively shallow and preferably so designed as to pre= vent the flow of ink except when under pressure. Thus the spreader also acts to prevent leakage of the small quantity of ink between the valve 43 and discharge opening 56 when the valve is closed.

In use, an ink cartridge is first unsealedand placed in the gun, the seal l8 cooperating with the seat 29 of the nozzle. The cap 2? and asso- 'ciated pressure regulating mechanism is then secured to the body 23 of the gun and the hand wheel 36 manipulated to compress the spring 33 and apply a pressure upon the piston it through the plunger 30.

Depression of the lever d5 then lowers the valve 43 from its seat 42 and permits liquid ink to be discharged under pressure through passage 68 of the nozzle and grooves 55 to the discharge opening 56 of the spreader plate immediately behind the spatula spreader blade 51 by means of which the ink may be readily spread over an inking surface such as the inking disc of a platen printing press. Thus the liquid ink is maintained free from contact with air from the time it is packaged in the factory until it is applied to and spread upon the inking disc, insuring maximum economy in ink because drying and crystallization in the package is prevented. Also, the ink may be applied to the inking disc in small regulatable quantities, preventing wasting of ink and insuring better results from the inking mecha nism. There is also a considerable saving in labor and time due to the fact that workmen do not have to repeatedly open and close the cans to obtain access to the ink, and separate knives are not required, which become soiled and must be washed.

It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the invention in its broader aspects is not restricted to the supplying of ink, but is also applicable to the dispensing of other liquids, where it is desirable to exclude air from the liquid, or to insure a better regulated and more clean dis-= pensing.

I claim as the novel features of the invention:

1. Apparatus for supplying liquid ink to the inking surface of a printing press or the like comprising a liquid ink cartridge, a dispenser having a closed chamber'for receiving said cartridge, means for applying pressure to the ink in said cartridge, an ink spreader secured to said dispenser, and means for optionally discharging said ink in regulated amounts from said spreader.

2. Apparatus for supplying liquid ink to the inking surface of a printing press or the like comprising a liquid ink cartridge, a dispenser having (iii iii) preader having means for regulating the discharge of ink from a closed chamber for receiving said cartridge, means for subjecting the ink in said cartridge to pressure tending to discharge the ink from the dispenser, an ink spreader connected to the dispenser and means regulating the discharge of ink from said cartridge to said spreader.

3. Apparatus for supplying liquid ink to the inking surface of a printing press or the like comprising a liquid ink cartridge, a dispenser having a closed chamber for receiving said cartridge, means for subjecting the ink in said cartridge to pressure tending to discharge the ink from the dispenser, an ink spreader connected to the dispenser and valve means regulating the discharge of ink from said cartridge to said spreader.

v4. Apparatus for supplying liquid ink to the inking surface of a printing press or the like comprising a liquid ink cartridge, a dispenser having a closed chamber for receiving said cartridge, means for applying pressure to the ink in said cartridge, an ink spreader secured to said dispenser, means for optionally discharging said ink in regulated amounts from said spreader, and means for maintaining the ink free from contact with air until discharged from said spreader.

5. Apparatus for supplying liquid ink to the inking surface of a printing press or the like comprising a liquid ink cartridge, a dispenser having a closed chamber for receiving said cartridge, means for subjecting the ink in said cartridge to pressure tending to discharge the ink from the dispenser, an ink spreader connected to the dispenser, and means regulating the discharge of ink from said cartridge to said spreader, said a spatula spreading blade and said ink spreader.

6. Apparatus for supplying liquid ink to the inking surface of a printing press or the like comprising a liquid ink cartridge, a dispenser having a closed chamber for receiving said cartridge,-- means for subjecting the ink in said cartridge to pressure tending to discharge the ink from the dispenser, an ink spreader connected to the'dispenser, and means regulating the discharge of ink from said cartridge to said spreader, said spreader having a spatula spreading blade and means for regulating the discharge of ink from said ink spreader at a point adjacent the spatula spreading blade.

'7. Apparatus for supplying ink to' printing presses and the like comprising an ink cartridge, a housing for said ink cartridge to maintain the ink free from contact with air, means for discharging ink from said housing under pressure and in small regulated amounts, and means for spreading the ink as it is discharged.

8. Apparatus for supplying ink to printing presses and the like comprising an ink cartridge, a housing for said ink cartridge to maintain the ink free from contact with air, means for discharging ink from said housing under pressure and in small regulated amounts, and means including a spatula spreadingblade for spreading the ink as it is discharged,

9. Apparatus for supplying liquid ink toprinting presses and the like comprising a cartridge for containing a supply of liquid ink, said cartridge having a dispensable body portion, a, dispenser for housing said ink cartridge, means within the dispenser for exerting pressure upon said dispensable portion of the cartridge for subjecting the liquid ink to pressure, said dispenser including an ink spreader and valve controlled means for regulating the discharge of said ink from said spreader in regulated amounts.

10. Apparatus for supplying liquid ink to printing presses and the like comprising a cartridge for containing a supply of liquid ink, said cartridge having a dispensable body portion, a dispenser for housing said ink cartridge, means within the dispenser for exerting pressure upon said dispensable portion of the cartridge for subjecting the liquid ink to pressure, said dispenser including an ink spreader having an ink discharger opening therein, and manually controlled valve means for regulating the flow of ink under pressure through said discharge opening.

11. A liquid dispenser comprising a hollow body member adapted to receive a cartridge containing the liquid to be dispensed, plunger means within the body for exerting pressure upon a displaceable portion of said cartridge, spring means for exerting a pressure on said plunger means, and means for regulating said spring means.

12. A liquid dispenser comprising a hollow body member adapted to receive a cartridge containing the liquid to be dispensed, plunger means within the body for exerting pressure upon a displaceable portion of said cartridge, spring mean for exerting a pressure on said plunger means, a closure member removably connected to said body and means carried by said closure member for regulating said spring means.

13. A liquid dispenser comprising a hollow body member adapted to receive a cartridge containing the liquid to be dispensed, plunger means within the body for exerting pressure upon a displaceable portion of said cartridge, spring means for exerting a pressure on said plunger means, a closure member removably connected to said body and means carried by said closure member for regulating said spring means, and a valve controlled nozzle for regulating the discharge of liquid from said dispenser.

14. The method of supplying liquid ink to inking surfaces and the like which consists in applying an expelling pressure to the ink in its original package, and then dispensing the liquid ink from its original package in small regulated quantities in a thin stream and irrespective of the pressure to which the ink in the package is subjected, while maintaining the ink in the original package free from contact with air.

15. The method of supplying liquid ink to inking surfaces and the like which consists in applying an expelling pressure to the ink in its original package, and then dispensing the liquid ink from its original package in small regulated quantities in a thin fiat stream and irrespective of the pressure to which the ink in the package is subjected, while maintaining the ink in the original package free from contact with air.

16. The method of supplying liquid ink to inking surfaces and the like which consists in applying an expelling pressure to the ink in its original package, and then dispensing the liquid ink from its original package in small regulated quantities in a thin stream, as from a spatula edge of a spreading blade and irrespective of the pressure applied to the ink in the package, and maintaining the ink in the package free from contact with air.

JOSEPH EDWARD HUDSON. 

